Northeast Nodaway’s girls somehow overcame 32 turnovers as Dalanie Auffert bailed them out in the closing seconds against South Holt Monday night. It wasn’t the only game winner for Auffert in that building; several years ago, in an elementary tournament, Auffert hit two game winning free throws.
South Holt came into the game with a 9-13 record, but with NEN grad Michelle Schulte as the assistant and South Holt celebrating its Senior Night, you could throw out the recordbook.
The Bluejays had some early success against the South Holt press as Dalanie Auffert twice got loose in transition, Mylee Wilmes got a 3-pointer after an Auffert offensive board, and Hadley DeFreece got behind the defense in transition to make it 9-2.
But then the Knights started swarming, pressing, and trapping; whenever the ball went into Auffert in the post, they would run 2-3 players at her and grab and tear at the ball. The turnovers started to mount for Northeast and by the early part of the second quarter, the lead was gone.
With the game tied at 11, Baylie Busby restarted the Bluejays with a steal and two free throws. Busby then found Mylee Wilmes, who hit a tough shot with a hand in her face, and Busby added a 3-pointer to make it 18-11.
South Holt countered with a pullup three, but Busby twice slashed to the rim to make it 22-14.
But then the turnovers started to mount again and the Knights started coming back again, getting as close as 24-21 on Zoey Prussman’s 3-pointer before Baylie Busby hit Dalanie Auffert inside to make it 26-21 at the half.
Auffert’s putback after a long defensive standoff lasting over three minutes put the Bluejays in front 28-21 with 4:41 left, but the Bluejays had turned it over 17 times by the half and nine more in the third quarter. It was only a matter of time before the extra possessions for South Holt started to tell, and they started heating up from the field, grabbing the lead for the first time at 33-28 after three.
Jill Boswell hit two free throws to start the fourth quarter, but then South Holt started freezing the ball and taking time off the clock. When Northeast came out to guard them, Zoey Prussman drove and hit two free throws and Abby Sipes added another to make it 36-30 with 4:09 left.
Boswell inbounded to Busby with 3:52 left and she made two free throws to make it 36-32. Both teams exchanged misses at the free throw line, and then South Holt threw away a pass. One of their players tried to save it from going out, but Baylie Busby came away with it after a scramble and was fouled, making both free throws to cut it to 36-34 with 2:54 left.
Sipes missed a 1-1 with 2:49 left, but Northeast lost the rebound out of bounds and had to foul again, putting Zoey Prussman on the line. She made both free throws to make it 38-34 with 2:39 left.
Northeast tried to force it into the post, but the gold shirts were all over it, grabbing and tearing at the ball and forcing a tieup that went back to South Holt. Busby blocked a shot on the other end, but turned it over trying to rush it up the floor. But South Holt turned it right back over with 2:10 left with a traveling call.
Baylie Busby split two defenders and drew a foul, making both free throws with 2:03 left to make it 38-36. Zoey Prussman tried to drive down the right baseline, but stepped out of bounds and Northeast had a chance to tie or take the lead with 1:44 left.
Busby got in trouble in the right corner and threw a wild pass in Dalanie Auffert’s general vicinity. Somehow, she came up with it and was fouled, making one of two with 1:34 left to make it 38-37. Busby then stole the ball to flip the script and put Northeast up 39-38 with 1:20 left.
Both sides exchanged traveling calls, and then Dalanie Auffert stuffed Prussman inside and Baylie went coast to coast the other way. But her runner missed and after a scramble, the ball went out off of Northeast with 30.7 seconds left.
South Holt double dribbled with 23.8 seconds left, but Hadley DeFreece missed two free throws with 21.4 seconds left. Hadley tried to take a charge on Prussman rushing it down the left side, but didn’t get the benefit of a charge/block call and Prussman made both free throws with 18.4 seconds left to put South Holt up 40-39.
Baylie Busby took on the whole South Holt army but missed a runner. But somehow, Jill Boswell was able to deflect it to Busby and save it from going out of bounds. This time, Busby found Dalanie Auffert all alone with 4.7 seconds, and she connected to put Northeast up 41-40.
There was no secret about what South Holt wanted to do, as they gave it to Zoey Prussman and she slashed past two Bluejay defenders into the lane. But her off-balance runner rimmed out and Northeast had come away with the victory.
Baylie Busby had 19 points to lead the Bluejays. Dalanie Auffert had 13, Mylee Wilmes 5, and Hadley DeFreece and Jill Boswell 2 each.
Dalanie Auffert had 2 blocks and Baylie Busby 1.
Dalanie Auffert had 11 boards. Baylie Busby had 10, Jill Boswell 7, and Mylee Wilmes and Sasha Deardorff 1 each.
Jill Boswell had 4 assists. Dalanie Auffert and Baylie Busby had 3 each, and Hadley DeFreece 2.
Baylie Busby had 6 tips. Hadley DeFreece had 3, and Dalanie Auffert, Jill Boswell, and Mylee Wilmes had 1.
Baylie Busby had 6 steals. Dalanie Auffert had 3, and Jill Boswell and Mylee Wilmes 1 each.
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